Reading through the hop posts was almost like
reading through a book on the psychology of the
artistic process. As the co-ordinator and teacher of
the three month class, I (B'sue) truly never thought
that grasping the pyramid method of selling success
would be so difficult for some.
Actually the pyramid we are working on is only three
tiers, but the illustration here gives you the idea.
Many of the 55 participants had difficulty grasping
the need for a lower rung at impulse or gift price,
15-50.00. There was actual SHOCK at the idea that
doing OOAK designs only is truly NOT the way to
establish a brand. (And this was not B'sue's idea.....
although eight years experience wholesaling a 300
piece collection consisting of a number of lines had
proven this true. Google it, you'll see there's a whole
bunch of advice on the subject.)
Another concept that created a bit of a stir was the
suggestion that attention should be paid to fashion
trends. As artisans, many of us seem to feel we are
completely outside the fashion fray and that there is
no need to see what clothing styles are being purchased. We are artists! We are above all that, we live
for our art, fashion has nothing to do with our work!
REALLY. Remember the Cerulean Blue diatribe
about half way in to the movie, THE DEVIL WEARS
PRADA? There is far more fact than fiction to that
diatribe than you might imagine. The Meryl Streep
character was highly based on a real life person, the
reigning editor of VOGUE....Anna Wintour. Like it
or not, the woman 'calls' most of what succeeds in
the style industry. Every artisan should subscribe to
VOGUE if they subscribe to nothing else, and they
should swallow their gum, try not to choke, and pay
attention!
You can ignore it all you want, and you certainly do
not have to like it......but if you want more money
in your wallet and your want your line to grow, the
fashion research must be done. Marica Zammit made
us a fun poster to underscore the dilemma!